W. FISHER.

35

1.—12 a.

an approved strainer. Who is to be the judge? The Inspector seems to be the sole judge, though ii' he happens to be a man like we have in the Wairarapa it is a bad thing for the dairy industry. Washing must be done 30ft. from the cowshed. What about washing a milking-machine? The shed is the only place where it can be washed. It should not be aired or stored in" the milkingshed, but why should washing not be done there? Then a farmer may not use a can except it has a metal label on it. This is all very well for the town supply, but absolutely useless for a factory. We like to get a can as smooth as possible. The cans are steamed at the factory. As to preventing a man selling or giving away butter from an unregistered dairy, this would come very hard on a few folk in the Wairarapa. This is carrying things a bit too far. None of the regulations would give a bigger pinprick in the Wairarapa than that a man is not to be allowed to give away a quart of milk. Then, no poultry, pigeons, &c, are allowed in the cowshed. How are you going to keep them out? These are things which could be administered with oommon-sense, but the trouble is to get them administered with common-sense. Then, no cow, calf, or other animal shall come within 30 ft. of the cowshed. This means we will have to erect a fence 30 ft. away, to prevent cows crossing near the shed. No. 31 in its present form would prevent us bringing home whey in the milk-cart, or even skim-milk, as these are pig-foods. 1 agree that if the cart is used for carrying live pigs it should be thoroughly washed. The last clause is the one that 1 most strongly object to. I consider that in all disputes there should be a board of arbitration elected by the suppliers, to which all disputes should be referred. If milk-suppliers cannot elect three gentlemen to settle their disputes I have not much faith in country residents. We have found to our cost just lately that an Inspector can be very arbitrary indeed. We have been working under stricter regulations than these. Unfortunately we did not know that they existed till a fortnight ago. Half of us have been ordered to take up our wooden floors. I would urge that all disputes should be referred to the committee I have suggested. Probably it would be better if the members of the committee were not suppliers. The committee could give just consideration to a case, and see that tilings were carried on smoothly. These regulations would be all right if they were carried out sympathetically. The Inspector who has lately come to the district has upset the whole of the Wairarapa. The Magistrate has to decide on the law. 1. Mr. Okey.] Could you give us an estimate of a shed to hold fifty cows, built according to the regulations?—W r e have not such a shed in the Wairarapa. We do not put up a shed to hold more than ten cows —a ten-bail shed. 2. You could not give evidence on that?—No reliable evidence. 3. Should there be the same regulations for people supplying towns as for those supplying the city ?—No. 4. We have had considerable evidence as to dirt in milk : is it not a fact that suppliers to factories get their own butter from the factories?— Yes. 5. And if farmers were so dirty as some people make out, they would not buy butter from the factory? —Even with the cheese-factories the suppliers purchase factory-butter. 6. Is a label on the can going to help in the supply of clean milk?— No. 7. Mr. Witty.] You object to the maximum fee being more than 2s. 6d. ?—Just enough to say it is a fee. We regard 10s. as a tax. 8. Would it do just as well to make it a shilling?— Yes. 9. If your milk-supply after inspection is improved, there should be no objection to pay something for the inspection ?—I do not think, except in very limited cases, there will be an improvement. We had our own inspection. If a supplier is bringing dirty milk then he has to take it home again. 10. You object to labels on cans : how are you to find out whose milk it is unless there is a label?— There would be no trouble in regard to that matter at the factory. 11. It would be much easier, would it not, if every man's can were branded?—-It would probably not be on a month. We object to anything that will hold dirt. A label will hold dirt. We want a can as smooth as possible. 12. You object to all the cows being brought into the yard at once. Would you object if the regulation read: "A yard large enough to hold all the cows brought in at once"?—ln milking forty or fifty cows we do not yard up more than ten at once, and then in a yard in front of the byre. It is universally used. 13. You say an arbitration board should be selected by the dairymen themselves?— Yes. 14. Would you not allow any one from the other side to appear? —I would reckon the board I say would be absolutely impartial, not on the law, but what would suit the particular case. 15. The arbitration should be on common-sense lines? —Yes. 16. Therefore, it would only be fair some one from the other side should be appointed?— Yes. 17. You said you had your own inspector so as to prevent a supplier sending in bad milk?— Yes, to a certain extent. 18. Has every manager power to refuse milk owing to its condition?—He has. 19. The factories in your district object to carrying out regulations similar to these?— Yes. 20. Hon. Mr. McNab.] How often during the past season was milk rejected on the receivingstage of your factory? —Last season was an exceptional season. 21. Take the season before?— Very rarely indeed. There might have been a few instances. 22. Has the factory-manager unlimited power in this respect?—We do not question his decision at all. 23. Suppose he rejected the chairman's milk? —It would be just the same. 24. What do you say to the statement of witnesses that the power of the manager is a deadletter?—! do not think it is so with the bulk of the managers.